On Two Wheels - a cycling column by Rob Derry

There are a lot of new housing developments happening around Swindon, especially on the northern and eastern sides of the town. We at Swindon Cycle Campaign insist that all new developments have provision for alternative forms of transport built into the estates from day one. Of course this includes cycle infrastructure as well as footpaths and bus provision.

But let me make it clear – we are not anti-car. Most of us also own a car. They are useful vehicles, but for urban journeys there are many, many journeys where the bike is simply more practical and quicker.

The UK has been building new roads for years and yet they are still congested and in a lot of cases, the congestion is worse than it ever has been. Of course we must invest in the roads to account for the increased number of vehicles that thousands of new houses will bring but we must also invest in alternatives and cycling is a perfect alternative for urban journeys. If the correct infrastructure is built at the same time as the development, it is a fraction of the cost when compared to retrospectively installing it.

Another benefit is that when people move in to the area and they see cycle paths, they can use them immediately and the good habit is formed.

Swindon Cycle Campaign will be working with the council and developers to ensure that the necessary infrastructure is put in place so that we can make Swindon easier to get around and a more pleasant place to live in because congestion isn’t only about wasted time; it causes fumes, noise and there are many more beautiful things to behold than a queue of stationary traffic.